


Educational Decree Number Forty

by malinaldarose (coralysendria)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: trope_bingo, Gen, Snowed In
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-10
Updated: 2013-03-10
Packaged: 2017-12-04 21:11:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/715134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coralysendria/pseuds/malinaldarose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Educational Decree Number Forty came about as a result of the weather.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Educational Decree Number Forty

Educational Decree Number Forty came about because of the weather. When Harry, Ron, and Hermione ventured down to Hogsmeade on a post-Christmas Saturday afternoon, they found that the village's two snow-removal wizards were just barely keeping up with the thick snowfall. By the time they reached The Three Broomsticks, they were regretting coming out at all. The pub was the emptiest they had ever seen it, so they were at least able to get a table near the fire. They sat with their hands wrapped around huge mugs of frothy hot chocolate, while their damp coats steamed.

By the time they had warmed up sufficiently to make the trek back up to the castle, the snow-removal wizards had given up and were quietly enjoying their own hot drinks by the fire.

"You three'd best be getting back on up to the school," one of them observed, "before you end up spending the night here."

"We were just going," Harry responded as they wrapped themselves in their still slightly damp outerwear. He wondered if there were any chance that they could get into the secret passage in Honeydukes, rather than going back out into the weather. 

It was a miserable trudge back up to the castle; the wind seemed to have fingers that shoved snow into their scarves and down the backs of their necks. They were all cold, and wet, and a bit short-tempered by the time they reached the Gryffindor common room, especially as the corridors of the castle seemed cooler than normal. Granted, they were never quite warm enough, especially in the winter, but Harry thought he saw frost in a couple of spots.

The next morning, the ceiling of the Great Hall was not even visible for the snow swirling in the air. The castle was noticeably colder; the students' breath steamed in the air as they shivered over their breakfasts or voiced their complaints. Still, it was Sunday, and the cold couldn't keep everyone indoors. Before mid-morning, snow forts had sprung up in the castle's courtyard and snow balls -- propelled both naturally and magically -- were whizzing through the air. 

Shortly before noon, the castle's main doors swung open to frame Professor Umbridge. Wrapped in a thick pink cloak, she stood watching the battle. The snowballs slowed, then stopped, as students became aware of her.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw the Weasley twins contemplatively tossing snowballs up and down. "No!" he said urgently, catching George, who was nearest him by the arm. "Don't!"

"It'd be worth it," George said, making a fist. His glove hid the scar on the back of his hand, similar to the one on Harry's own. Fred would have one, too, of course, because where one twin went, so did the other.

"C'mon, Harry. Don't tell us that you wouldn't like to see that ridiculous bow knocked off her head," Fred added.

"I'd love it," Harry admitted. "But you know that she'd expel you both for it."

"Might still be worth it," George muttered, but both twins let the snowballs drop.

Unaware that Harry had just saved her dignity, Professor Umbridge surveyed the battle scene through the curtain of snow, which seemed, somehow, not to touch her. "I would think," she said, her girlish voice fluting through the courtyard, "that those students who have tests tomorrow would be in their dormitories studying." She turned and went back into the castle. The great doors swung shut behind her, only to be pelted by dozens of snowballs. 

The students looked at one another over the walls of their forts, but the fun had drained out of the day and they suddenly realized that they were cold and wet. They trooped back into the castle, many muttering darkly about interfering hags.

Later, in the Gryffindor common room, Harry stood in front of the window staring out at the snow. He was determinedly _not_ studying for his Defense Against the Dark Arts test tomorrow. He knew perfectly well that Umbridge would find a way to fail him, no matter what. His ink would be the wrong color, or she would declare that she couldn't read his handwriting, or something. She had failed him the last time because he had accidentally crinkled the test parchment. Hermione came to stand next to him and sighed. "Too bad we can't have a snow day tomorrow," she said.

Harry looked at her in surprise. "A snow day?"

"Yeah, you know. When school closes because of the snow?"

"I know what a snow day is, Hermione. I just never expected _you_ to wish for one."

She shrugged. "I don't want to have to go to _that woman's_ class tomorrow." She looked at him keenly. "And neither do you, and don't bother to try to deny it."

Harry snorted. "As if I would."

"They actually close Muggle schools because of snow?" Ron asked from his chair nearby. "Weird."

Hermione shrugged. "It doesn't happen often, but when snow falls like this? Muggle equipment has a hard time keeping the roads open, so sometimes people can't _get_ to school. It could never happen here, of course, because we're already _at_ school."

"What's this, Granger?" Fred asked, coming up behind her.

Hermione patiently repeated herself. The twins looked at one another speculatively. "A snow day," George said.

"Sounds like fun," Fred said.

"Yeah, unless you're stuck home with my cousin Dudley," Harry said.

"What are you two thinking?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

George and Fred exchanged glances and grinned at Hermione. "Never you mind, Granger," George said.

"Don't you have studying to do?" Fred asked in a passable imitation of Umbridge's voice.

Hermione scowled. Outside, the snow continued to fall.

When they left the common room that night to go down to dinner, the corridors were bitterly cold. Once again, snow was swirling through the air in the Great Hall, but as they entered the hall, they realized that the snow was real. A light coating lay on the House tables and floor. Neville, trying to put his leg over the bench to take a seat, slipped, and fell on his back on the floor.

"I'm okay," he said reflexively, as Ron and Harry hauled him to his feet.

"This is ridiculous!" Hermione said. "What is going on?"

"Attention, students," Professor McGonagall's voice rang through the corridors. "Tonight's dinner will be served in your Houses. Please return to them."

Snow was falling in the corridors now, thick and fast, piling up on the edges of portrait frames and atop suits of armor. Peeves zipped through it throwing snowballs. Hermione narrowly missed getting hit with one and turned to glare at the Weasley twins. "It's not us," they protested in unison.

When they returned through the portrait hole, they found long tables set up buffet-style along one side of the common room. Students were filling plates and eating wherever they could find a perch. Many were taking their food up the stairs to their dormitories.

The following morning, Harry came downstairs to find a cluster of students near the portrait hole. Fred and George were pushing against the back of the Fat Lady's portrait with their shoulders.

"What's going on?" he asked Ron, who was standing at the edge of the crowd.

"The Fat Lady seems to be stuck," Ron answered. "Nobody can get the door open."

"Really? I wonder what's going on?"

"Attention, students." This time, it was Professor Dumbledore's voice floating on the air.

"Well, I guess we're about to find out," Ron replied.

"Because of the amount of snow in the corridors, Hogwarts is experiencing its first ever snow day. Classes are canceled until the snow can be cleared. Meals will be delivered to your common rooms. Please enjoy your day off."

Fred and George, still leaning against the back of the Fat Lady's portrait, straightened. "Excellent!" they chorused.

"How did they manage it?" Ron asked later, staring at his older brothers, as he, Harry, and Hermione sat near the fire.

"Oh, Ronald," Hermione said. "They didn't do it. They were just as surprised as everyone else. You know quite well that if they had done it, they'd have been standing back laughing while people tried to open the door."

"Unless they didn't want anyone to know that they'd done it," Harry said.

"Fair point," Hermione conceded. "Still, I don't think they did. Oh, they may have done the snow in the Great Hall, but...." Her voice trailed off thoughtfully. "Do you remember, Harry, after Neville found the Room of Requirement, what you said about Hogwarts wanting us to fight back?"

"Yeah. So?"

She lowered her voice and leaned in. "What if _Hogwarts_ made it snow?"

"You're barmy!" Ron exclaimed. "How could a _castle_ make snow?"

Hermione shrugged. "Hogwarts is a special place. You should know that by now, Ronald. If the staircases can move on their own, then why can't the weather come inside?"

"Does it really matter _how_?" Harry asked. "Let's just be glad we're not suffering through Umbridge right now."

The novelty of being snowed in inside a castle started to wear off around midafternoon when people had played as many games as they could and were beginning to get bored and restless. Hermione had long since retreated to her dormitory to read; she pointed out that at least she only had to put up with four other people in the room, rather than the entire population of Gryffindor Tower in the common room. Harry was toying with his DA coin and staring into the fire when the portrait hole opened and Professor McGonagall stepped into the common room.

"Professor!" someone said.

"Does that mean we can go out?" someone else said.

"Good afternoon," Professor McGonagall said. "Yes, you can go out again, but I strongly advise you to stay here in the tower. The hallways of the castle are full of snow, and we have only cleared out enough so that people can leave their Houses. It would be best if you were to stay out of the way of the snow removal teams. Meals will still be served in the common rooms, rather than the Great Hall. It is possible that there will be no classes again tomorrow, but Professor Dumbledore will determine that later. Now, is everyone here all right?"

There was a chorus of affirmatives. "Good," the professor said. 

"Professor?"

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Is the way to the library clear?"

Harry and Ron looked at one another and rolled their eyes. There was a hint of a smile on Professor McGonagall's face, but all she said was, "Yes, Miss Granger. And there is, fortunately, no snow in the library. You may go there if you like."

"Thank you, Professor."

"And now," and here the professor looked around the common room with a sharp eye, "I would like to speak to the two of you, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Weasley."

"It wasn't us," the twins chorused.

"Uh oh," Ron said under his breath.

"Hey, Hermione," Harry said, as Hermione headed for the portrait hole. "Want some company?"

She looked briefly surprised. "Sure, Harry. Ron? You want to come, too?"

"Not me. I'm not going to the library if I don't have to."

Hermione shrugged. "Suit yourself."

The castle was an astonishing sight. Harry and Hermione stood for a moment on the landing outside the portrait hole and gazed down through the criss-crossing staircases. There was snow piled everywhere, and only a narrow pathway was clear on the stairs. Here and there, teachers could be seen waving their wands at the snow, making small sections of it disappear. 

"Look over there." Hermione pointed down and to the right where a hallway was filled with snow halfway to the ceiling. "How on earth could this have happened?"

"There's no way Fred and George did that," Harry said. "I hope McGonagall doesn't think they did."

"I do not, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said from behind them. "I asked them, as older students, to help with the removal efforts. And now, if you two would like to move along...?"

"Sorry, Professor," Harry said. He and Hermione started carefully down the steps.

"Is it just me," Hermione said, "or is it warmer out here?"

"No, I think you're right," Harry replied. "It does seem warmer."

They were around the corner from the library when they heard voices ahead. Recognizing Professor Umbridge's ridiculous voice, Harry and Hermione stopped short. 

"I really must protest, Professor Dumbledore! You cannot simply cancel classes like this!"

"And how did you expect the students to get to their classrooms when the hallways were impassable, Professor?" Dumbledore's voice contained only polite curiosity.

"I want to know who did this! The students responsible for it must be punished!"

Without meaning to, Harry found himself starting forward, but a restraining hand came down on his shoulder. Looking back, he found Professor McGonagall still behind him. She frowned, and shook her head emphatically. He closed his eyes, bowed his head slightly, and nodded. Professor McGonagall's hand remained where it was. Her other was on Hermione's shoulder.

"But Professor! Didn't you know? Did you miss the meeting? Students didn't do this, Professor Umbridge. _I_ did this. It was part of a project in Muggle Studies -- How Muggles Cope With Extreme Weather, I believe was Professor Burbage's title."

"You! _You_ did this?" Harry imagined Umbridge's eyes bulging in indignation.

"Indeed, Professor. Though it turned out to be a bit more troublesome than I expected." There was no mistaking the amusement in Dumbledore's voice. "Still, it should all be gone by morning, and life can go back to normal."

"The Minister will hear about this, Dumbledore! You cannot simply fill the corridors with snow and cancel classes at a whim!"

"I think, Professor," and here, Dumbledore's voice grew sharper, "you will find that the headmaster of this school can do a great many things, whether or not you -- or the minister -- approve. Good day, Professor."

Harry grinned, and glanced back at Professor McGonagall. She smiled tightly in response. "All right, you two," she said softly. "Into the library. And Potter, if I were you, I'd try to avoid catching Professor Umbridge's eye for a couple of days."

"Yes, Professor," Harry said softly.

Tuesday morning, the corridors of Hogwarts were as empty and dry as though the snow had never been. But on the wall in front of the Great Hall, a new decree hung. _Educational Decree Number Forty: Hogwarts classes will never again be canceled because of the weather._

**Author's Note:**

>   * Harry Potter, his friends, his enemies, and his home belong lock, stock, and broomstick to J. K. Rowling. This is a fan work; no infringement is intended and no profit will be had hereby.
>   * That said, I am tending more toward movie-canon here, with just touches of book-canon (Peeves, for instance, isn't in the movies). There were a lot more Educational Decrees in the movie than in the book.
>   * Though Umbridge was no less loathsome.
>   * Thanks, as always, to Bethynyc for the beta.
> 



End file.
